Toddler ejected, teen life-flighted after Butler County car wreck with six injuries

Six people, including a 2-year-old girl, were injured in a two-vehicle wreck Friday afternoon, according to Butler County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Todd Gurley.

The 2-year-old, who was ejected from a van, is believed to be critically injured, he said, and a 17-year-old passenger in the van was critically injured and life-flighted. Initial reports were that the person life-flighted was in their 60s. The 2-year-old and four others in the wreck were taken to an area hospital by EMS. The four others all had non-life-threatening injuries, he said.

An update on their conditions was not available Saturday.

The two-vehicle accident was reported at 4:47 p.m. Friday at SW 30th and SW Prairie Creek Road, which is near Stearman Field Airport close to Benton. Gurley said the driver of the van was headed north on Prairie Creek, possibly ran the stop sign and was hit by the driver of a truck headed west on 30th.

The four people in the van are believed to be a family, he said, adding he wasn’t sure of the relationship between the two people in the truck.

The wreck caused the van to roll multiple times before coming to rest on its side in a field, he said. The 2-year-old was ejected when the van rolled, he said, and was conscious and alert when she was taken to the hospital.

This story was originally published September 16, 2022 at 5:51 PM.